‘El Mago’ signed for the Sharks a fortnight ago but he blamed Stade Francais for delaying his departure. “The transfer of my negotiations were very difficult and I did not understand the behaviour of Stade Francais,” the 28-year-old told Argentine reporters.

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“Fortunately I was able to resolve everything in the best of ways. The club [Stade Francais] gave me a lot, I leave good friends, but I had to admit that the bosses thought of money and nothing else,” he added.

The delay in Hernandez’s move has resulted in him missing two matches already but his now due to make his Sharks debut against the Cheetahs next week.

Hernandez admitted that other clubs had sought to buy him, although he refused to name names. Toulon have already said they were within hours of securing his signature before the Sharks came in for him.

“It is true that there were other offers, but I will not say which out of respect for these clubs. I came to the Sharks due mainly to the fact that their culture is very close to that of the Argentines,” he added. “Frederico Mendez and Nicolas Fernandez Miranda (former Pumas) played here. And then there are many very good players in the team and the still plays for the title,” reasoned Hernandez.

But the mercurial fly-half said he would only remain in South Africa for a year before returning to Europe, with the specific aim of joining a team capable of winning the Heineken Cup. “It is an unfinished agenda,” he said.

Another Top 14 departee is Welsh scrum-half Liam Davies, who has opted for a return to his homeland after just one season with Brive, turning his back on “arguably the toughest league in the world”.

The former under-21 international has signed for the Ospreys, becoming the second Brive player to follow that route home this summer following the earlier departure of full-back Barry Davies.

The 23-year-old forced his way into Brive starting XV for most of the second part of last season but has opted for a return to Wales following the French club’s close-season capture of former England international Shaun Perry. Brive also have Jean-Baptiste Pejoine (29) on their books.

Davies has signed a one-year deal with the Ospreys and said it was an easy decision to move once the offer came in.

“It’s an exciting time for me personally, it’s a great move for me and I’m really looking forward to being part of what I hope will be a successful season as an Osprey,” he said.

“When I had the chance to sign I jumped at it, there’s a great set-up and good coaches. It’s just a fantastic organisation to be part of. There’s real competition at nine here and there are no guarantees, but I’m really looking forward to the challenge,” added the former Scarlets player.

Davies said he would return a “completely different person” after his one-year sojourn in France. “Life outside rugby used to revolves around just going to my mates. When you make that move then you have to grow up quickly, but I think I adapted well. Playing in France was a great experience.

“It’s arguably the toughest league in the world, packed with great players and there is no hiding place out there. Going to places like Stade Francais, Biarritz and Clermont Auvergne to play is a fantastic experience and really helps to take you up to next level,” he said.

Davies will get a chance to put his French experience to good use when the Ospreys face Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup.

Brive have now seen Ben Cohen and both Davies’ return back to Britain in the off-season, and they were dealt a further blow yesterday when Irish hooker Frank Sheahan announced his immediate retirement due to a nagging pectoral muscle injury.

The 32-year-old international had signed to join Brive from Munster for the forthcoming season but has been unable to shake a long-standing injury that has now forced him to quit.

“I had injured the pec’ against Connacht at Christmas and at that stage the medics reckoned it a career-ending injury,” Sheahan told the BBC. “But I’d been in this position before, had an operation on it in January and with the help of the Munster medical team and fitness coaches I got back into contention for selection for the end of the season.

“However I took another knock in that game and soon after accepted what the medics were telling me and I’ve decided to call it a day,” he added.

The veteran hooker, who played 163 games for Munster, described his time in rugby as “great years”.